Drill column



Patented Aug. 25, 1931 l UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS C. BAYLES, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T INGERSOLL-RANI) COI- PANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DRILL COLUMN This invention relates to rock drills, but more particularly to a drill column of the type commonly used for supporting a rock drill relatively to the work. The objects of the invention are to facilltate the operation of setting-up the column and to eliminate frequent interruptions 1n the drilling operation for the purpose of' maintaining the terminals of thecolumn in l0 rigid engagement with the abutments whereby the column is supported.

Other objects will be in part obvious an i'n part pointed out hereinafter. In t-he drawingsaccompanying the specication and in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts,

Figure 1 is an elevation partly broken away the rock D. The column Ain this instance comprises a tube E in the lowermost end of which is disposed a nut Fpreferablv held stationary with respect to the tube'E by a pin G 'v The cohnnn A is illustrated in the operative position in a tunnel or drift having a Hoor H and a roof .T forming aloutmentsI for thel column. Tt is between these two portions of the dritt that the column is usuallv extended to maintain it in the operative position. The column is thereforeprovided with the usual screw K which is threaded into the nut F and has an unthreaded cylindrical portion L which extends into a bore O in a foot piece P.`

The unthreaded portion L of the screw 'is adapted to rotate freely in the foot piece P 5 the floor H or, as illustrated, into a plank and has an annular groove Q. to engage a pin 1928. Serial No. 269,186.

T interposed between the foot piece and the floor H. v

Between the threaded and unthreaded portions of the screw K is an enlar ed cylindricalportion U which may be an integral portion of the screw or may be suitably secured thereto. In this cylindrical portion U are formed apertures V for the insertion of a bar W whereby the screw K may be rotated for extending the column' A.

A diculty frequently encountered in the operation of setting up a drill column of the type to which the present invention pertains in locations where'the walls of the drift or tunnel, such as the 'loor H and the roof J, have very yirregular surfaces is that of maintaining the uppermost portion ofthe column in engagement with the roof of the drift.

Various means have heretofore been employed for preventing slipping of the column at this point. One means intended to accomplish this result is the well known pointer adapted to be pressed into the roof the drift.

vAnother is to employ a head piece similar in some respects to the foot piece P and to interpose compressi'blematerial, such aswood, between the head piece and the roof. When power is then applied for extending the column the wood or plank against which the head piece acts is pressed into the depressions lin the roof as are also the serrations on the head pieceinto the wood.

In columns of this type, however, a tremendous pressure is required to hold the column immovable and unaffected by the vibrations incident to drilling. The application of the necessary power therefore frequently results in the breakage of the planks or other material possessing similar properties, with the result that during drilling 'the broken portions of the planks are vibrated outof position, thus necessitating an interruption in the drilling operation for the purpose of stabilizing the column.

The present invention contemplates the elimination of these objectionable features and to this end a bearing X is inserted in the upper end of the tube E to which it may be secured by means of a pin Y. The bearing X consists of a generally .cylindrical piece and has a shoulder Z adapted to rest on the end of the tube E.

At the uppermost end of the bearing X is formed a semi-cylindrical surface b interrupted intermediate its ends by a slot c into which extends a tongue d of a link'e. The bearing X and the tongue d are rovided with holes f and g respectively for t e-reception of a pin L which acts as a pivot for the link.

On opposite sides of the tongue d are formed concave recesses j which conform to the cylindrical surface b upon which they are adapted to rest so that any pressure applied to the link e will be transmitted to the aring X rather than to the pin h.v For the sake of symmetry the link e is preferably also of enerally cylindrical form and of substantia the same diameter as the bearmg At the opposite end of the link e is formed a tongue la, in all essential respects similar to that of the tongue djand on opposite sides of the tongue k are formed concave surfaces 0 shaped to conform to convex surfaces p of a head g for which the form a bearing.

The tongue k is disposed at right angles with respect to the tongue d and has an aperture r ada ted to register with apertures s in the hea g for the receptio'nof a pivot pin 1t' nvlxlhereby the head g is connected to the It will thus be observed that the pivots h and t are disposed per endicularly with respect to each other. ue to this arrangement the head g is capable of universal pivotal movement and at the same time is held against rotative movement relatively to the tube E. In order to maintain all portions of the head within the range of the line of force applied to the screw -K for extending the tube, the head g is provided on opposite sides of the curved surface pwith inclined surfaces u ada ted to bear against surfaces o of the link e or limitin the range of oscillatory movement of the iead g. Similarly the bearing X is provided with inclined surfaces 'wvto limit the degree of oscillatory movement of the link e with respect to the bearing X.

In order to at all times assure a suitable yieldable surface on the head g for frictional engagement with the abutment, such as the roof J against which the head is pressed, said head is provided with a pad a: of resilient material, as for instance, rubber. The ad preferably overlies the entire up er sur ace of the head Q to which it may e agglutinated by means of any suitable substance, such as cement, for the purpose of maintaining it in position on the head g.

Additional means are provided however, for securing the pad a: to the head q. These .means consist of integral projections y of the pad :v which extend into apertures z in the head The apertures a are preferably flared at llothends and therefore have restricted portions 2 which constrict the projections y intermediate their ends, and the outer ends of the projections expand to conform to the flared end of the apertures z. This is the manner in which the pad may be secured to the head q in case the pad is preformed and afterwards attached to the head g. When the pad is vulcanized to the head y however, the material of which the pad is composed will of course conform directly to the contour of the apertures a, with the result that there will be flared ends on the projections y to engage the flared ends of the apertures a. Preferably the central portion of the pad ai is. also anchored to the head g and the pad accordingly has a central projection 3 which extends into a recess 4 in the head and engages with its sides the inclined surface 5 of the recess 4.

In setting up the column A said column may first be placed in substantially the desired osition, it being understood of course that tlie column is contracted to permit of it being readily placed between the floor and the roof of the drift. The screw K may then be rotated by means of the bar W to extend the column and press 'its extremities, such as the foot piece P and the head g firmly against the surfaces of the abutments Which serve to maintain the column in the operative position.

The setting up of the column may be accomplished with a minimum expenditure of time since the pad will readily conform to the contour of the surface against which it bears, irrespective of any irregularities in such surface or of the degree of inclination ofthe abutments relatively to the column. After such drilling as may be accomplished within the range of the column is completed the column may again be contracted by means of the screw K and conveyed to another drilling site.

Due to the present invention a great saving in time is realize-d in the operation of setting up the column since, owing to the universal tilting action of the head q, the column may be conveniently placed and maintained in position even though it is not 4exactly perpendicular with respect to the abutments.

For the sake of simplicity of illustration a pad is shown at only one extremity of the column. It is however, to be understood that a similar pad may be provided for the foot piece P, thus entirely eliminating the necessity of maintaining material, such as the planks T. on hand for the purpose of preventing slipping of the column on the surfaces whereby it is supported.

I claim:

A device of the character described comprising a support, a bearing secured to the slupport, a head, a link interposed between t 1e site ends of the link, slots in the head and the bearing to receive the tongues, circular apertures in the head, the bearing and the tongues, said apertures in the tongues being larger than the apertures in the head and bearing, pins extending through the head, the bearing and the tongues to pivotally connect the link to the bearing and the head,

said pins being disposed perpendicularly with respect to each other versal pivotal novement of the head relatively to the support, inclined surfaces on the head and the bearing adapted to cooperate with surfaceswn the link for limiting the range of oscillatory movement of the head and the link, concave surfaces on each end of the link, and convex surfaces on the bearing and the head bearing against the concave surfaces on each end of the link whereby pressure applied to the the head and link will be received .by the bearing surfaces and not by the pins.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

' LEWIS C. BAYLES.

bearing and the head, tongues on oppoi to permit of unidevice in any position of 

